Jack Huston to play Wickham in Pride And Prejudice And Zombies

Los Angeles - Jack Huston is to play Wickham in the adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride And Prejudice And Zombies.

The London-born actor - best known for his role as Richard Harrow on the popular HBO show Boardwalk Empire - has been handed the role of Wickham in the new film, which fuses Jane Austen's classic novel from 1813 with tales of the walking dead.

(Actor Jack Huston attends the 2014 Academy Awards. Getty Images)

Huston, 31, will appear in the much-hyped film alongside British actors Lily James and Sam Riley, as well as Australia's Bella Heathcote.

Huston's character Wickham is a blond lieutenant who has an immediate attraction to Liz, who he's drawn to on account of her combat skills.

Wickham teaches zombies how to fight and captures Liz's imagination as he trains them.

Burr Steers is set to direct the film using the script he has re-written based on an earlier draft from David O. Russell.

The lead role of Elizabeth Bennett is to be played by Downton Abbey star Lily James, though it was originally attached to Natalie Portman, who remains as a producer on the project.Filming is scheduled to begin in September.

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